The HDD on my older computer built in 2004 is starting to act strange, and wanted to clone an exact image of the whole disk onto a new drive, that could then replace the current drive, a Samsung 1614C. Even though the computer is old, I want to protect the data and keep it running.

After research, the WD Red 1TB NAS seems like a good replacement, but there have been mixed reports even in the forums here about how quiet that drive is. One plus is it comes with free use of their Acronis disk cloning/imaging software. Does anyone have experience with that drive?

The other option would be to order the same exact drive in the computer now, a Samsung 1614C, which is quiet. My concern is, I wonder if a much later version of the same drive will have the same acoustics. It could be manufactured somewhere else and be louder possibly, who knows? Also with this option there wouldn't be free use of Acronis, which has good ratings.

I have never cloned a whole drive before, so what would seem like the best drive and software option? I don't care that much about speed for this computer, and am more concerned with having a disk clone succeed, keeping this clone task as easy as possible, drive reliability, and having a quiet drive.

I've used the WD/Acronis cloning tool a couple of times w/o problems. I have the 2TB Red and it's pretty quiet, but I can still hear it spinning in my very very quiet build. That said, it's a lot quieter than the WD Blue it replaced.

I'll give the 1TB Red a try then and like that it comes with the Acronis tool. Even though the current Samsung drive is sata, could there be any compatibility issues with a decade old motherboard? While it does accept sata, do you think it will still work okay with that WD?

So the clone procedure worked with Acronis, but there is a snag with windows activation that I am wondering what to do?

The original HDD has a legitimate retail version of XP pro that I bought for the build at the time -10 years ago. It was activated twice then; had to do a full re-install once.

My preference now is to keep using the old HDD in the computer and store away the new clone WD Red in the event it is needed as a backup.

But when I tested the WD it says I have 3 days to activate windows. If it isn't activated in 3 days will that drive even work after that? Also I don't have the activation key where I am, and won't be able to retrieve it by their deadline.

If the cloned drive is activated, will the original still work, or will Microsoft only allow one computer per retail version, even though both drives would be for the same computer -but they don't know that.

What is the best way forward? a) should I just activate the WD before 3 days runs out -even though I plan on using the old HDD? Any downside to that? Could it be activated in 6 months if it gets plugged in then? To activate now, should I just call Microsoft and ask for the product key? Is there a way to find it on my older HDD? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Finally, am not trying to cut any corners with Microsoft with this -I did pay for a full retail version of XP at the outset, and just want the disk clone to be able to work in the same computer if necessary.

I think you have to call Microsoft. This is also a golden opportunity to try alternatives (Linux Mint?). Enough of these nagging pains from Microsoft should eventually push us towards open solutions. That's what DRM is all about I think.

I've never had issues with cloned drives. Windows notices a difference in hardware and tells me to activate. I do, and life goes on. Worst case, you call the MS help desk and say you cloned the drive for backup. They provide a key or whatever.

I guess the bigger question is why you are using XP? Support/updates go away in April.

Thanks for the help with this drive clone task. It worked, the drive is activated, and it's good to have the backup drive, am happy about that. Didn't mean to make a huge ordeal over it, but I have a lot of data on that machine and didn't want anything to go wrong.

The Windows activation was no prob, just gave them the activation number on the computer, they verify, and generate the key.

Steve, as far as still using XP, am going to do a new build soon, and will have plenty of questions in the forum on it. I've been delayed in a new build for a while, waiting for Haswell, C2 stepping, and finding a MB that seems to be reliable in reviews.

Good point Vicotnic, maybe in the next build will look into having more than one OS.

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